Overview

From the day she was born, Hannah Mae O'Hannigan has dreamed of being the root-tootinest cowgirl ever. Too bad for Hannah Mae, she lives smack-dab in the middle of a city.

But Hannah Mae's Uncle Coot lives way out West, and Hannah Mae is sure-as-sunshine determined to make it to his ranch. So with the help of her parents, Hannah Mae trains for the life of a rodeo star. She practices her horse ridin' with Sassafras — a sweet pony from the pony-ride in the park. Her stuffed ...

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Overview

From the day she was born, Hannah Mae O'Hannigan has dreamed of being the root-tootinest cowgirl ever. Too bad for Hannah Mae, she lives smack-dab in the middle of a city.

But Hannah Mae's Uncle Coot lives way out West, and Hannah Mae is sure-as-sunshine determined to make it to his ranch. So with the help of her parents, Hannah Mae trains for the life of a rodeo star. She practices her horse ridin' with Sassafras — a sweet pony from the pony-ride in the park. Her stuffed animals are perfect for ropin' practice, and she masters cow herdin' by rounding up a bunch of pet-store hamsters.

Finally Hannah Mae is ready to lasso her destiny. But when she gets to Uncle Coot's ranch, she is given only ranch-hand chores. Thanks to a mysterious herd on the horizon, Hannah Mae learns that with some quick thinkin' and some sure ridin', she can be the cowgirl who saves the day (and the frontier)!

Born to be a "buckaroo", city-dweller Hannah Mae O'Hannigan starts learning proper cowgirl skills, with a few minor city adjustments, to prepare for working on her Uncle Coot's ranch out West.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Packing a pencil and pastel inks, Ernst (Stella Louella's Runaway Book) rustles up a tale fit for any cowgirl-urban or otherwise. The heroine's debut is wryly understated-a pair of baby feet poke out from under the brim of a huge pink cowboy hat sent by "dear Uncle Coot from way out West." Ernst milks every drop of humor out of this situation comedy, as Hannah Mae evolves into a cowgirl wannabe with hopelessly urban parents who wear pearls and bow ties. But they support her passion, buying her a pony and hamsters so she can emulate "cow herdin' and general cattle care" to prepare her for Uncle Coot's ranch. Those skills prove handy when a boxcar out west spills hamsters that terrorize her uncle's cattle. Hannah Mae corrals the critters and launches a traveling hamster show. A winsome mix of wit and sympathy inspires such scenes as when Hannah, a small figure duded up in boots and hat, stares forlornly at the wall of skyscrapers outside her window. Judiciously used patois ("He's shakin' like the music-end of a rattler") brings zest to the text without overpowering it. So, too, with the mellow-toned palette that quietly anchors drawings so organically funny that simple inkstrokes turn a pack of rodents into hilariously mean-faced marauders. Ages 4-8. (June) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Author/illustrator Lisa Campbell Ernst has created the image of a fearless cowgirl named Hannah Mae and she substitutes a herd of hamsters for horses and cows to create a rootin'-tootin' story packed full of cowpoke lingo. It was the pink cowgirl hat that Uncle Coot from way out West sent Hannah on the day of her birth. Despite growing up smack-dab in the middle of a city, Hannah hones her skills in preparation to be a promised ranch-hand one day. Her parents support the dream by turning their urban home into a corral with a real-time cow pony named Sassafras. Using drapery cord to lasso her stuffed animals, reading magazines to get roping information, and ensuring protective care of the hamsters, add a genuine sensitive touch to the book. Hannah's early practice of herding the pet-store hamsters from the kitchen to the parlor to the library while singing calm lyrics pays off as she lulls the stampeding fur balls into Uncle Coot's pens. Oversize illustrations in tranquil pink, green, and blue pastels are the focal point on the single and double-page presentations. Charming facial expressions convey a multitude of moods in the faces of human and animal characters. Cowpoke lingo and sayings will need explanations for the young reader or listener. This gentle story of determination will solidify the dreams of young girls who aspire to have a cow pony and grow to be real cowgirls. 2003, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Ages 5 to 9.
— Barbara Troisi

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-Hannah Mae never gives up on her dream of becoming a cowgirl, despite the fact that she lives in the city. Her roping skills are deftly honed by tying together drapery cords; her herding skills are carried out with a "herd" of hamsters. She's a cowpoke, through and through, and her talents come in mighty handy when she visits Uncle Coot, way out West. Although a bit long for storytimes, this delightful tale is sure to please wanna-be cowboys and girls. Ernst's art and the oversized format suggest the soft, muted tones and expansiveness of the prairie. Written with a subtle sense of irony, this blue-ribbon choice, so comically endearing, is irresistible. Yeehaw!-Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A born cowgirl saves her uncle’s ranch from an unusual menace in this cheery oater. Hannah Mae lives in the big city, but her heart’s always been out on the prairie; her very first word was "Howdy," she can lasso all her toys with ease, and if she can’t have cattle to tend, well, driving a herd of hamsters about the house is nearly as satisfying. That last skill comes in purty handy when Hannah Mae’s indulgent parents send her out west. It seems that a whole shipment of hamsters has gotten free and turned feral, leaving even the most hard-bitten cowpoke shaking; happily, Hannah Mae knows just how to handle a wayward bunch of rambunctious rodents. From dusky rose Stetson to matching boots, Hannah Mae exudes both femininity and self-confidence, expertly rounding up the swarm of chubby hamsters in Ernst’s characteristically waxy, pastel cartoons, then going on to glory on the rodeo circuit as the star of her own Wild West Hamster Show. Hannah Mae’s exploit is sure to corral plenty of little dogies with their own dreams of saddling up. (Picture book. 6-8)

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Posted April 28, 2008

We love Hannah Mae

We got the book because my daughter's name is Hannah May. We love this book. It says ages 4-8 but there is some humor for older kids in it too. Even my 11 year old likes it. It is lots of fun to read. I find myself reading with a midwest accent.

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